Adjusting device for a communications receiver

ABSTRACT

An adjusting device for a communications receiver which comprises a plurality of potentiometers each having a plurality of resistance sections for different frequencies that can be moved over in succession by a movable wiper member. There is an actuator member for each potentiometer as well as a common frequency band changer device associated with a tuner in the receiver. The device is actuated by a linkage associated with said potentiometer between the movable wiper member, the actuator member and the frequency band changer device in dependence on the position of the movable wiper member when the actuator is operated.

United. States Patent Apr. 1, 1969 Germany ..G 69 13 1 15. 3

U.S. Cl ..334/7, 334/15, 338/127,

' 338/134 Int. Cl ..l-103j /08 Field of Search ..334/7, 15, 47, 54;338/127,

Riimmer May 9, 1972 [54] ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR A f r nc Ci COMMUNICATIONSRECEIVER UNITED STATES PATENTS [72] Inventor: Heribert Riimmer, lngol at, Germ ny 3,440,544 4/1969 Pampel ..334/ UX' [73] Assignee: Licemhpatenbvemahungsflm.Mi. 3,528,043 9/1970 Richter et a1. ..334/15 XFrankfurt am Germany Primary Examiner-Herman Karl Saalbach 22 1 Filed;Man 2 1970 Assistant Examiner-Paul L. Gensler AttorneySpencer & Kaye 21Appl. No.: 22,856

' [57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data An adjustingdevice for a communications receiver which comprises a plurality ofpotentiometers each having a plurality of resistance sections fordifferent frequencies that can be moved over in succession by a movablewiper member. There is an actuator member for each potentiometer as wellas a common frequency band changer device associated with a tuner in thereceiver. The'device is actuated by a linkage associatedwith saidpotentiometer between the movable wiper member, the actuator member andthe frequency band changer device in dependence on the position of themovable wiper member when the actuator is operated.

. 1 ,C!a msz2.. ?ra!ins syres ,7??? I 0* ,L A 2 9- /4 I I0 TUNABLE I l3ClRCUlT MEANS --[;l I 5 7 4 TUNER- 1 l FREQUENCY q- I6 I i.- L /0 RANGESWITCH /1 42 28 '2 4 l5 1 r r. 29 8 4,3

PATENTEDm 91972 lnvenlor' Heribert Rijmmer BY way 24 8 ATTORNEYS.

ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR A COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to an adjusting unit for atuner, for example, a tuner which can be tuned over a plurality offrequency ranges by means of voltagedependent capacitors, The adjustingunit consists of a plurality of potentiometers which can be switched onone at a time by means of an associated pushbutton. The potentiometerwhich is switched on can be actuated through a tuning knob, and eachpotentiometer comprises a plurality of resistance sections which can becovered in succession by a slider. Eachresistance section is associatedwith one frequency range in the tuner.

In one such known adjusting device, the potentiometers are constructedin the form of rotary potentiometers which are disposed parallel to oneanother and one behind the other centrally with repect to an imaginaryaxis (German Gebrauchsmuster No. 1,983,074.) In this case, the drive ofthe individual potentiometers is effected either through a key buttonwhich is associated with each potentiometer and is made rotatable forthis purpose, or through a common central tuningknob which, on pressinga key associated with one potentiometer, can be coupled, through agearwheel or a worm, to the gearwheel provided on the potentiometer.

1 In another known adjusting device'for receiving sets in thecommunication art, using rotary potentiometers, it is known to renderband switching possible by the fact that the rotatable part comprises aninsulating member, the peripheral surface of which is at various radialdistances from the axis of rotation and a'lever actuating afrequency-range switch bears against this peripheral surface (GermanGebrauchsmuster No. l,9 1 2,957). In this adjusting device, a click-stopmechanism is provided which only permits the rotation of the shaftthrough fixed angular amounts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention toconstruct an adjusting device with band switching in such a manner thatthe band switching is effected automatically. The purpose of this isthat no separate means are needed for switching over the frequency-rangeswitch and instead the frequency ranges are switched over automaticallyin the course of sweeping over all of them.

. According to the invention, there is provided an adjusting A devicefor a tuner for a communications receiver comprising a plurality ofpotentiometers each having a plurality of resistance sectionscorresponding to difierent frequency bands I and a movable wiper memberhaving a wiper or slider adapted to move over said resistance sectionsin succession. There is an actuator member for actuating each saidpotentiometer, a frequency band changer device common to allpotentiometers I and mechanical linkage means, associated with each saidpotentiometer. This linkage means extends between the associated movablewiper member, the associated actuator member and said frequency bandchanger device for actuating said frequency band changer device independence on the position of said associated movable wiper member atthe time said associated actuator member is operated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, l is a front wall, 2 a rear wall, 3 thetop and 4 the bottom of the housing of an adjusting unit. In this unitthere is provided a central shaft 5 on which are mounted one or morepotentiometers 6 which are constructed in the form of rotarypotentiometers and disposed side by side.

A potentiometer 6 consists of a printed circuit 7 on which the lead-inconnections 8 and the resistance paths 9 are disposed in the form ofsegmentsv 10. A specific frequency range is associated with each segment10 and the segment 10 is made correspondingly large according to theextent of the frequency range.

The peripheral surface 11 of the movable wiper member 12 which iscup-shaped and carries, in the interior thereof, a wiper 6 adapted tocontact segments 10, is constructed in the form of an indicating scaleand marked with the individual frequency channels. A recess 13 isprovided in the front wall 1 and through it the peripheral surface 11and hence the set channel can be seen.

Mounted at the side of the peripheral surface 11 is an extension 14which is constructed in the form of a toothed rim or gearwheel and whichcan be driven by means of a pinion 15. Furthermore, the movable wipermember 12 is provided with a groove 16 which is sunk in the face of thedisc and constructed in the form of a cam. Engaging in this groove 16 isa pin 17 of a setting member 18 which is guided for displacement bymeans of a slot 19 in which there engages the central shaft 5 and bymeans of an extension 20 which is held for displacement in a slot 21 inthe bottom 4. v

The cam track of the groove 16 is so selected that its radial spacingfrom the central shaft 5 comprises a plurality of arcs about thiscentral shaft 5 corresponding to the number of resistance segments 10present, and the length of which also corresponds to the length thereofalthough its radial spacing from the central shaft 5 varies. By thisarrangement, a resistance path and switching over the frequency-rangeswitch of an associated tuner is available for each frequency range.

The'setting' member 18 comprises a groove 22 which extends horizontallyand is provided on one side with a guide web 23 and is covered, at leastpartially, at the other side by a pushbutton slide or actuator member24. The pushbutton slide 24 has an outwardly curved extension 25 whichengages in a vertical slot 26 in a slide 27. The latter is soconstructed that it is displaceable in the groove 22 and is heldimposition by the web 23 and the pushbutton slide 24. In addition, anendportion 28 of theslide 27 projects through the rear wall 2 and islikewise. guided by this means. The terminal edge 29 of the end portion28 is stepped and inclined, and an actuating lever, or frequency bandchanger device 31 mounted for pivoting about a pin 30 can bear againstit under the force of a tension spring 32. As seen in FIG. 1, theactuating lever 31 is interconnected with the frequency-range switch inthe tuner of an associated receiver. This frequency-range switch canswitch on associated tunable circuit means with capacity varying diodesso that the tuning unit can be tuned.

The pushbutton slide 24 is subject to the action of a tension spring 33by means of which it can be pulled into its position of rest. Alsoprovided on the pushbutton slide 24 is a detent 34 which can co-operatewith a latch 36 subject to the action of a compression spring 35.

The upper edge of the pushbutton slide 24 is provided-with I action of acompression spring 39 as the push-button slide 24 slides back. For thispurpose, the pinion is guided for axial displacement on a drive shaft 40and held against rotation by means of a slot 41 in which there engages apin 42 rigidly mounted on the drive shaft 40.

The actuation of the drive shaft 40 may be effected directly through adrive knob or, as illustrated in FIG. 2, through a bevel gear 44 so thatthe drive knob can project at the same side as the key or pushbutton orbuttons 43 provided on the pushbutton slide(s) 24.

The mode of operation of the adjusting device according to the inventionis as follows:

When the key button 43 is pressed, the pushbutton slideor actuator 24 isdisplaced towards the left in the course of which the detent 34 comesbehind that of the latch 36 and the pushbutton slide 24 is locked inthis position. Simultaneously with this movement, the slide 27 isentrained by the same distance through the link 25, in the course ofwhich it slides in the groove 22 in the setting member 18. The terminaledge 29 impinges on the end of the actuating lever 31 and moves thisagainst the spring force 32. By this means, the frequencyrange switch isbought into a specific position so that the frequency range in the tunerwhich corresponds to the setting of the actuating lever 31 in theposition shown is switched on. At the same time, the pinion 15 isdisplaced towards the left towards the gearwheel 14 as a result of thespring force of the spring 39 and engages therein when the teethcoincide precisely. On actuating of the drive shaft 40, the movablewiper member 12 with the wiper 6' is turned so that a specific potentialcan be taken off at the resistance path 9 which is currently switched onand which is associated with a specific frequency range or from theassociated segment 10, and be supplied to the voltage-dependentcapacitors of the tuning unit. By this means, a specific channel, ortransmitter, in the set frequency range is selected. When the driveshaft 40 is turned further, a part of the cam 16 at a different radialspacing engages the pin 17 so that the pin, and with it the settingmember 18, is moved completely downwards, for example, oncounterclockwise rotation of the movable wiper member 12 in FIG. 1. Withthis movement, the slide 27 is also displaced downwards and the terminaledge 29, as a result of its construction, displaces the actuating lever31 further towards the left so that the frequency-range switch in thetuner is actuated and another frequency range is switched on. At thesame time, the wiper 6' onmovable wiper member 12 coincides with thenext following associated segment so that a specific transmitter in thepreset frequency range can be tuned in.

By pressing another key button, not shown, the latch 36 is displaceddownwards so that the key button 43 previously depressed is disengagedand the one which has been freshly pressed is locked. As the slide 24slides back, the pinion is bought out of engagement with the gearwheel14 as a result of the inclination of the lug 38 being displaced towardsthe right by the spring force 39. In this manner, it is possible to seteach pushbutton to a specific transmitter and to store this transmitterof any desired frequency range.

By use of the above described device, it can be ensured, in a simplemanner, that the frequency range associated with each resistance segmenton the potentiometer is switched on or that, when turning thepotentiometer slider or wiper, the particular resistance range which isbeing covered, is connected to the frequency-determining means of atuning unit by the frequency-range switch.

The invention is not restricted to rotary potentiometers but may also beused for linear flat-path potentiometers or spindle potentiometers orthe like.

It will be understood that the above description of the presentinvention is susceptible to various modifications, changes andadaptations.

What is claimed is: v

1. An adjusting device for a tuner in a communications receiver thatincludes a frequency range switch and associated tunable circuit means,comprising a plurality of potentiometers rotatably supported in housingmeans, each potentiometer'having a plurality of resistance sectionscorresponding to different frequency bands in the tuner and adapted tobe selectively connected to the tunable circuit means, a movable wipermember adapted to move over said resistance sections in succession, anactuator member for actuating each said potentiometer, a frequency bandchanger device common to all potentiometers and connected to thefrequency-range switch, mechanical linkage means, associated with eachsaid potentiometer, between the associated movable wiper member, theassociated actuator member and said frequency band changer device foractuating said frequency band changer device, said mechanical linkagemeans including a mechanical setting member displaceable variably bysaid movable wiper member in dependence on the position of saidassociated movable wiper member on operation of said associated actuatormember.

2. Device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said potentiometerscomprises a rotary potentiometer having a plurality of resistancesegments each associated with a different frequency band in the tuner,connecting lines for said individual segments, said lines beingconnected to the tunable circuit means in the associated tuner and saidmovable wiper member is a rotatable member which includes a cam trackfor actuating the frequency band changer device through said mechanicalsetting member.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein each said movable wiper membercomprises a disc defining said cam track in a plane surface thereof andwherein said mechanical setting member carries a pin which is engaged insaid cam track.

4. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein each said movable wipermember comprises a cup, a wiper mounted in the interior of said cup andsaid cam track positioned at the outside of the bottom of said cup.

5. A device as defined in claim 3 further comprises a shaft meanssupporting said potentiometers and on which each said movable wipermember rotates, each of said mechanical setting members being guided forsliding movement over said shaft means by a slot defined therein, andguide means in said housing means through which each of said mechanicalsetting members projects.

6. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said pin is concentric with ashaft means of the axis'of rotation of said movable wiper member, saidmechanical setting member being guided for sliding movement over saidshaft means by a slot defined therein, and guide means for each of saidmechanical setting members in said housing means.

7. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said frequency bandchangerdevice includes a slide member associated with each potentiometer, meansfor guiding said slide in said mechanical setting member fordisplacement transversely with respect to the direction of sliding ofsaid mechanical setting member, andwherein said actuator member includesa pushbutton slide, and means for coupling said slide member with saidpush-button slide.

8. A device as defined in claim 7, wherein said coupling means comprisesan extension on said pushbutton slide and a slot in said slide memberengaged by said extension.

9. A device as defined in claim 8, wherein said frequency band changerdevice includes an element for actuating the frequency-range switch andwherein an inclined terminal edge on each of said slide members isdesigned to bear against and actuate said element when an associatedpush-button is depressed on a push-button'slide.

'10. A device as defined in claim 9 wherein each potentiometer includesa toothed rim on said movable wiper member, a drive portion engagementwith said toothed rim when a push-button is depressed and aportion onsaid pushbutton slide being bent away obliquely therefrom to engage saiddrive portion when said push-button is depressed.

i l II

1. An adjusting device for a tuner in a communications receiver thatincludes a frequency range switch and associated tunable circuit means,comprising a plurality of potentiometers rotatably supported in housingmeans, each potentiometer having a plurality of resistance sectionscorresponding to different frequency bands in the tuner and adapted tobe selectively connected to the tunable circuit means, a movable wipermember adapted to move over said resistance sections in succession, anactuator member for actuating each said potentiometer, a frequency bandchanger device common to all potentiometers and connected to thefrequency-range switch, mechanical linkage means, associated with eachsaid potentiometer, between the associated movable wiper member, theassociated actuator member and said frequency band changer device foractuating said frequency band changer device, said mechanical linkagemeans including a mechanical setting member displaceable variably bysaid movable wiper member in dependence on the position of saidassociated movable wiper member on operation of said associated actuatormember.
 2. Device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of saidpotentiometers comprises a rotary potentiometer having a plurality ofresistance segments each associated with a different frequency band inthe tuner, connecting lines for said individual segments, said linesbeing connected to the tunable circuit means in the associated tuner andsaid movable wiper member is a rotatable member which includes a camtrack for actuating the frequency band changer device through saidmechanical setting member.
 3. A device as defined in claim 2 whereineach said movable wiper member comprises a disc defining said cam trackin a plane surface thereof and wherein said mechanical setting membercarries a pin which is engaged in said cam track.
 4. A device as definedin claim 2, wherein each said movable wiper member comprises a cup, awiper mounted in the interior of said cup and said cam track positionedat the outside of the bottom of said cup.
 5. A device as defined inclaim 3 further comprises a shaft means supporting said potentiometersand on which each said movable wiper member rotates, each of saidmechanical setting members being guided for sliding movement over saidshaft means by a slot defined therein, and guide means in said housingmeans through which each of said mechanical setting members projects. 6.A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said pin is concentric with ashaft means of the axis of rotation of said movable wiper member, saidmechanical setting member being guided for sliding movement over saidshaft means by a slot defined therein, and guide means for each of saidmechanical setting members in said housing means.
 7. A device as definedin claim 5, wherein said frequency band changer device includes a slidemember associated with each potentiometer, means for guiding said slidein said mechanical setting member for displacement transversely withrespect to the direction of sliding of said mechanical setting member,and wherein said actuator member includes a push-button slide, and meansfor coupling said slide member with said push-button slide.
 8. A deviceas defined in claim 7, wherein said coupling means comprises anextension on said pushbutton slide and a slot in said slide memberengaged by said extension.
 9. A device as defined in claim 8, whereinsaid frequency band changer device includes an element for actuatIng thefrequency-range switch and wherein an inclined terminal edge on each ofsaid slide members is designed to bear against and actuate said elementwhen an associated push-button is depressed on a push-button slide. 10.A device as defined in claim 9 wherein each potentiometer includes atoothed rim on said movable wiper member, a drive portion engagementwith said toothed rim when a push-button is depressed and a portion onsaid push-button slide being bent away obliquely therefrom to engagesaid drive portion when said push-button is depressed.